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Tips and Tricks for DIY Water Damage Cleanup Every year, floods kill more people than lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined. They can also wreak havoc on homes and businesses, requiring everything from new drywall and furnishings to completely new structures. If your home or commercial property has been flooded, your first priority is safety. Stay away from the area until government officials say it’s safe to return. Flood Cleanup - OSHA Milford MA 01757 When you can go back, take emergency supplies and cash with you. If you can get to a phone, call your insurance company and, if necessary, a flood and water damage restoration contractor. Then, you can get started on assessing the damage. Watch every step, because the risk of slips and falls is high. Also, be very cautious around appliances, gas lines and electrical equipment. Using them Milford MA 01757 prematurely could cause electrical shocks and even explosions. And don’t forget that wet items can be very heavy. Don’t hurt yourself by overdoing it. The Destruction Water Causes Water gives us life, but it can also take life and ruin everything in its path. When it comes to your home or businesses, be aware of how the following items can be affected: Wallboard and drywall: These porous All American Water Restoration: Water Damage Orlando FL Milford MA 01757 materials act like a sponge and become fragile in a flood, and may remain contaminated even after they dry out. Plaster: This thick material may not have to be replaced but it takes a very long time to dry. If it is severely cracked or warped, it will need to be replaced. Insulation: Foam sheets of insulation just need to be hosed off and dried, but muddy Milford MA 01757 fiberglass batts should be thrown out. Cellulose insulation, made of blown-in treated paper, will need to be removed and replaced. Solid wood: Furniture and other solid wood items may warp and crack following a flood, but they can usually be saved when dried out completely. Particle board and laminated wood: These materials may separate and weaken after getting wet and usually need to be replaced. Wood studs Milford MA 01757 and framing: These solid pillars are usually OK if they dry completely. They must be disinfected, but don’t usually have to be replaced. They are most often far from human contact, so risks of harm from any remaining contamination are low. Floor coverings: Most carpets and laminated coverings will have to be thrown out after a flood, especially any with soaked foam rubber backing. A professional cleaner Milford MA 01757 may be able to save small rugs and valuable carpets, which should be removed from the site immediately. Pipes and electrical wiring: Floods can float or break pipes and strip electrical wiring. Unless you’re sure you know what you’re doing, work with a contractor if you see damage to these items. Appliances: These can be shorted out during floods and can leak harmful and explosive gases into Milford MA 01757 the air. They will need to be cleaned and checked by a professional before use. HVAC: Heater and air conditioner units can become flooded, which can damage their internal electrical systems and douse pilot lights. They can also become muddy, and cleaning them will require professional cleaning. In addition, venting systems can flood and become contaminated. If that happens, they must be taken apart and hosed off Milford MA 01757 piece by piece to prevent contamination from being blown through the air. Dos and Don’ts of Flood and Water Damage Cleanup Getting Ready The first thing you will need to do after a flood is make sure that it’s safe for you and your family to be on the property. DO beware of rodents, snakes and insects that might have come in with flood waters DO smell Milford MA 01757 for gas and look for damaged power and gas lines, foundation cracks and exterior damage DO look for broken pilings, shifted stairs, slanted floors and walls DO turn off water and power (unless you would have to do so while standing in water) DON’T enter your home or business if you see major structural damage DON’T walk on sagging floors or floors above sagging ceilings DON’T use Milford MA 01757 electrical appliances or turn on ceiling fans and lights if the ceilings are wet First Steps Once you’re ready to start the cleaning process, it’s important to prioritize. At this stage: DO check that your running water is safe to drink and to use for cleaning DO flush your toilet before you use it to check for clogs from mud and debris DO check for cabinets and Milford MA 01757 other items that may be ready to fall over DO temporarily patch holes in the walls and roof with plastic wrap and repair floors and roof sections with 4X4s if you can do so safely DO remove debris DO open all the doors and windows to improve ventilation DO use a wet vac, shop vac, fans, dehumidifiers and desiccants (materials that absorb moisture) to start drying out Milford MA 01757 the property DON’T drain a flooded basement too quickly, because rapid changes in pressure could cause the foundation to collapse DON’T do structural or electrical work yourself DON’T connect generators to the home’s power system, but plug in fans and appliances directly DON’T use generators, grills, camp stoves or charcoal inside homes or within closed areas DON’T use a household vacuum to remove water and mud DON’T Milford MA 01757 let garbage pile up, as it could exacerbate contamination and house pests DON’T leave pools of standing water, which could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes Putting it All Back Together Once these major issues are handled, you can start on the water damage cleanup and flood restoration itself. DO wear protective clothing, boots and rubber gloves DO wash your hands often with soap and water DO remove Milford MA 01757 all wall coverings and throw them out, as they may harbor mold DO remove drywall, finished ceilings and most insulation that’s been in contact with flood water DO throw out permeable materials such as padded furniture and foam rubber DO throw out all exposed food, beverages and medicine, including canned goods DO disinfect dishes and other items with soap and hot water, but throw out all soft Milford MA 01757 plastics DO clean hard surfaces with hot water and soap or detergent Do wipe down wooden items and, if possible, take them elsewhere to dry out DO preserve items such as books, documents and photographs in re-sealable bags and freeze them to be cleaned later DO place aluminum foil or wood blocks in between wet floors and the legs of furniture that can’t be moved DO make Milford MA 01757 a list of the damage and take photos or videos DO keep a piece of damaged floor and wall coverings to show your insurance assessor DO check with your mortgage holder before cashing home insurance checks, especially if the damage is extensive Should You Call a Professional Restoration Service? Cleaning up after a flood is a lot of work and it is possible to do much of Milford MA 01757 it yourself. However, the costs in time, supplies and machinery rental escalate quickly. Furthermore, you may need professional contractors to do the work to be eligible for home and flood insurance reimbursements or to acquire building permits. If you would like expert help with your flood cleanup or simply want a second pair of eyes for safety, call Paul! Our nationwide network of flood and water damage Milford MA 01757 cleanup professionals is available 24/7. Get A Quote Now ” 24/7 888-473-7669

If you have been confronted by water damage in your house or commercial property, you will be best advised to hire the services of a professional fire and water restoration company. Though the restoration is something that you can achieve on your own, there is too much at risk to take it up as a do it yourself project. Here are some highlights about the services Water Damage Restoration - What Are Your Options? Milford MA 01757 that a well established fire and water restoration company will be able to provide.

Available 24/7 – The best fire and water restoration companies will operate throughout the day and night. Time is of the essence when it comes to water damage restoration and lost time will often result in dramatically increased losses and additional restoration expenses. Shut off the water supply that caused the flooding Milford MA 01757 and call a professional water damage repair company as soon as you can

Expert help with insurance claims – The fire and water control and clean-up company is more than just a professional service to restore your home. The restoration company will often award you an insurance specialist who will help you with the insurance claims process along the way. Ideally, claiming insurance should be easy Basement Flood Cleanup - Tips to Help You Clean Up Your ... Milford MA 01757 for homeowners who have suffered property damage although the reality is that the insurance company will do anything to give you a check with a lower amount than required. Having professional help in the form of an insurance specialist will save you a lot of stress and effort and will also get you that check that will cover all the restoration expenses.

Professional equipment – restoration Milford MA 01757 companies will have several commercial grade machines such as dehumidifiers, blowers, truck mounted water extraction units, portable water extraction units, moisture gauges, humidity gauges and so on that will help them remove the water and restore your property in the fastest way possible. If you approached the process on your own, it will take you a very long time as you will generally have just one Milford MA 01757 dehumidifier or just one blower which might not even be powerful enough to do the job in the first place.

Technical know how – This is where water damage control and clean-up companies offers the most value. It will take you several hours of research and learning to figure out the best restoration plan for you house while a professional restoration company will often have years Milford MA 01757 of experience on their hands. Their experience and their expertise will allow them to immediately go to work on restoring your property in the most time efficient and cost efficient manner. They will also be able to advise you about potential problems with the construction of your house that might lead to future water damage problems.

Thus, in conclusion, it is advised that you call for the Milford MA 01757 services of a water damage restoration company if you haven’t done so already. The sooner your call, the lesser your losses will be. Water damage restoration companies will also guarantee you that their repair estimates will be accepted by the insurance company which means that you have almost nothing to lose by hiring professionals.